June. 2014 “Published Monthly for SEAGO Member Entities, our Strategic Partners & everyone interested in Southeastern Arizona” Vol. 4, No. 6

Support Economic DevelopmentBe a

newslettersponsor!

The SEAGO region is fortunate to count several economic engines that generate in-come and create jobs. Starting in Nogales, there is the Fresh Produce Association of the Americas, the major importer of pro-duce from Mexico. Of course most all in-ternational commerce enters Arizona at the Port of Entry in Nogales.

In Cochise County, Fort Huachuca is the biggest employer and most valuable contributor in terms of jobs and overall in-come, but U.S. Customs and Border Protec-tion installations in Willcox, Douglas and Bisbee represent multimillion dollar invest-ments in physical assets plus hundreds of jobs.

While in Graham and Greenlee coun-ties mining takes center stage, more so in Greenlee, because Graham County is home to several prisons and a jail that create lots of work as well as good incomes.

Our region has railroads, Amtrak ser-vice, bus lines, commuter buses, multiple airports, three international ports of entry; two Foreign Trade Zones, multiple state highways and a large section of Interstate 10 rolls through our region as well.

So why do we have high rates of unem-ployment? Why are we losing jobs? And, what is being done to expand the industries we have while attracting new industries? The old adage we suffer from “paralysis by analysis” comes to mind.

High unemployment rates often occur when qualified employees are unaware their skills are needed by employers away from their hometown. Take Deming and Lordsburg, N. M., where double digit un-employment is hurting the local economy — but just across the border mining opera-tions in Morenci are constantly in need of

GROWING ARIZONA: A borderless solution

employees who can drive trucks, weld, fill jobs with contractors, work in concentra-tors, crushers and milling operations.

One solution? Put employers needing employees with certain skills together with unemployed employees that hold certifica-tions and skills needed elsewhere. And who better to facilitate something like than the

Arizona Workforce Connection and their counterparts The New Mexico Workforce Connection?

By SEAGO partnering with the SWNMCOG (Southwestern New Mexico Council of Governments, headquartered in Silver City) introductions, ideas and solu-tions resulted in two career fairs, a housing fair and an opportunity summit, all attend-

Annie Lennox wrote a hauntingly familiar song that captures the imagination of young and old alike and titled the piece “Why?” The numerous metaphors contained in the lyrics ooze honey and milk, tempered with bitter lemon. Such also describes many of the sto-ries in this months’ SEAGO Turning Point Monthly Newsletter~ lots of honey, but there is some lemon juice.

From describing Borderless Solutions to at-

tracting new employers, new businesses, and new industries on page 1 to what we can do with a Promise Zone designation and bet-ter grant funding chances under a myriad of different federal budget pools (see page 2). The Port of the Future is here now – the new $244M expansion of the Nogales Port of Mar-iposa on page 3. On page 5 read about the new Department of Labor Apprenticeship Initia-tive. A showcase of several grant opportuni-ties are outlined on page 6.

News from Benson, the Pride Society of

Duncan and the Sierra Vista Chamber of Commerce Leadership program fill out page 7, and - fun fact – 8 Man football is featured on page 8.

Though SEAGO has been ‘under siege’ in

the press lately, but remember the words of Teddy Roosevelt –“ In any moment of deci-sion, the best thing you can do is the right thing, the next best thing is the wrong thing, and the worst thing you can do is nothing.” SEAGO often does the right thing only to find ourselves maligned, we accept that result be-cause for us doing nothing is not an option. We are here to serve, we do help, we do ac-complish and because we do not seek awards or seek the spotlight we are an ‘easy target’ – or as Ben Franklin once explained “Any fool can criticize, condemn and complain — and most do.” Get the facts about what SEAGO does throughout our four-county region — call us at 520-432-5301 or visit www.seago.org.

Turn the pages

Read more ...

The Turning Point Monthly June 2014, page 2

More about Promise Zones

Jay Williams Confirmed as U.S Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development

The U.S. Senate voted today to confirm Jay Williams as Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development.

As head of the U.S. Department of Com-merce’s Economic Development Adminis-tration (EDA), Jay will be responsible for

Read More ...

fulfilling the agency’s mission of leading the federal economic development agenda by promoting innovation and competi-tiveness, preparing American regions for growth & success in the worldwide econ-

Coming to SEAGO: How Promise Zones Can Help

The Promise Zones initiative is a joint ap-plication from USDA, HUD, Department of Justice, and Department of Education. If designated a “Promise Zone” we would have preferential points for certain grant applications from these agencies. (Click here to see listing of funding agencies.)

The goal of the Promise Zones initiative is to revitalize high-poverty communities across the country by creating jobs, in-creasing economic activity, improving edu-

A child’s zip code should not determine her destiny, but a growing body of research reveals that the community she grows up in impacts her educational, health, and economic outcomes. From urban centers to rural and tribal communities, areas of concentrated poverty face inferior hous-ing, failing schools, crime, and few employ-ment opportunities.

Earlier this year, the Obama adminis-tration laid out an initiative to designate a number of high-poverty communities as Promise Zones, where the federal gov-ernment will partner with and invest in communities to create jobs, leverage pri-vate investment, increase economic activ-ity, expand educational opportunities, and improve public safety. Currently, the draft

second round application is open for public comment.

At this event we will release a report that provides an overview of the federal govern-ment’s role in place-based initiatives, initial observations from the launch of Promise Zones, and recommendations for strength-ening the effort moving forward.

By Emily Gojkovich

cational opportunities, reducing serious and violent crime, leveraging private capi-tal, and assisting local leaders in navigating federal programs and cutting through red tape.

BenefitsThe Promise Zone designation enables

the Federal government to partner with local leaders who are addressing multiple community revitalization challenges in a collaborative way and have demonstrated a commitment to results. Specifically, Federal staff will be stationed in each designated community to help navigate the array of Federal assistance which Promise Zones can access, subject to the availability of ap-propriations and Federal agency rules and

Read more ...

Building synergies two by twoBy A’kos Kovach

“Regionalism” is not just a catch phrase to SEAGO. The meaning of regionalism burrows deep into the fabric of our four counties and well beyond. The SEAGO re-gion, as an example, is not homogenous, in fact it varies widely from agrarian interests to mining, from cattle operations to mili-tary installations.

But one thing is certain - our sustenance, business leads, and attracting new opportu-nities that produce results are not accom-plished in secret meetings - they are shared far and wide with a large network of stake-holders who periodically come together to celebrate success and share new ways of do-ing more with less.

Sure, there are times when discretion dic-tates circumspection, but most of the time it is far more beneficial to include others in the dialogue – thus ferreting out carpet baggers or those only seeking to make a fast buck versus those that want to build long term relationships and develop sustainable solutions for local and regional needs.

Such is the case with the twin Tourism Councils found in Cochise and Greenlee counties. By working cooperatively new ways of attracting visitors and keeping them in the area for a longer stay is much more appealing to the tourist and to tourism professionals when there is collaboration between cities and counties. By expanding

our combined database on trails, historic sites to visit, tucked-away vistas and cultur-al treasures makes for better understanding and more tourism related revenues.

But Tourism is just one piece of the larger puzzle. Regional meetings, summits, workshops and events attract large Arizona metro and out-of-state investors. As each meeting grows in size, so does the number of investment clutches, realty groups, hote-liers, builders and the like. To learn more about SEAGO programs and opportunities throughout the SEAGO four county region email: economicdevlopment@seago.org or call 520-432-2622 x 210

December 2012

Published for SEAGO Member Entities and Strategic Partners

Vol. 2, No. 12

Newsletter Sponsorship

OpportunitiesAvailable!

CLICK HERE for details

or email

economicdevelopment@

seago.org

The Opportunity Tourin Greenlee

The skies are just a little bit brighter and blu-

er in Greenlee County, in large part due to the

high demand for quality employees spurred by

the private sector. The fact that Freeport McMo-

Ran is expanding output is not a secret. The huge

growth of countries like China, India and Brazil

have placed a premium on the value of copper,

needed for both residential and commercial con-

struction.But as the recent ASU Report “Keep the Green

in Greenlee” reveals, there are multiple reasons

why Greenlee county is the fastest growing coun-

ty in Arizona. Rivers, valleys, mountains and

trails is not just the name of the Greenlee County

Tourism Council , it is the way of life in this ma-

jestic and tranquil home to everything from Big

Horn Sheep on the ground to Golden Eagles and

Sand Hill Cranes in the skies. Recent Opportunity Tours have stirred devel-

opers and builders to set their sights on Greenlee

County for many reasons. To take your own Opportunity Tour contact

economicdevelopment@seago.org to schedule

your tour or to answer your questions.

CLICK HERE for more information about tours.

Nogales/Santa Cruz County

working togetherThe glow from the success of the Nogales

International Trade Summit continues to

shine brightly. With local, county, state fed-

eral and international support the future is

bright along the border – at long last.

There is still much to be done, milestones

such as new employers, adding new jobs and

attracting more commerce are still being

pursued. But the big difference is the unified

effort on the part of the leadership in Santa

Cruz County and the City of Nogales.

The region is standing up for itself and re-

scoping the image from negative hype to pos-

itive reality. Santa Cruz County & Nogales are

not alone support from the private sector has

grown as well. Old stereotypes and miscon-

ceptions are being erased. How? By bringing

new faces to meetings such as the Interna-

tional Trade Summit, and upcoming events

that will focus on the areas achievements and

importance to the econ y of Arizona.

For more information contact

economicdevelopment@seago.org

C L I C K H E R E to read the turning

The Turning Point Monthly June 2014, page 3

is issued at the beginningof each month by the

SouthEastern ArizonaGovernments Organization

Economic Development District.

1403 W. Highway 92, Bisbee, AZ 85603(520) 432-2622, ext. 210

To subscribe, email:akovach@seago.org

A’kos Kovach, publisher and editorMargaret Dillard, copy/graphics editor

Items for publication are welcomed from SEAGO member entities and strategic partners. Copy must be submitted at

least 7 business days priorto the end of each month.

The Port of the Future is Here NOW in Nogales, AZGreater Nogales Santa Cruz County Port Authority

Spearheads Mariposa Port’s $244 M Expansion

The Port of the Future is here NOW in Nogales. The $244M expansion and mod-ernization of the Mariposa Land Port of Entry is nearing 100% completion. The physical improvements at the Mariposa Port are state-of-the-art and have made this the most modern and efficient port of entry on the U.S. Mexico border. The for-mal, ceremonial opening of the completed port will be later this year, but the expand-ed facility is already yielding significant benefits.

Tireless efforts of the Greater Nogales Santa Cruz County Port Authority (GN-SCCPA) in partnership its member orga-nizations has brought this amazing asset to fruition n the Ambos/Nogales region. The new port will combine with other as-sets such as Foreign Trade Zone No. 60, whose Grantee is the Nogales Santa Cruz County Economic Development Founda-tion (NSCCEDF), to provide critical sup-port for the growth of bi-national trade through Nogales.

Everything in the port is designed to in-

crease the speed and accuracy of processing and to minimize delays at this, the fourth-busiest land port of entry into the United States. The Mariposa Port will have the shortest wait times on the U.S.-Mexico bor-der. Instead of the seven-hour wait times of past years, Mariposa wait times have dropped to around one hour.

The new and improved Mariposa Port will also have additional staff. Of the 2,000 new Customs officers authorized nation-wide in the most recent federal budget, 170 of those officers have been allotted to Ari-zona with 120 of those officers destined for Nogales.

State-of the art infrastructure and more personnel mean cost savings and decreased expenses. Efficiencies in moving trucks across the border result in savings in fuel, product quality and time. Nogales is the best location for just-in-time delivery for Mexico’s West Coast supply chain. Nogales is the only place where the U.S. I-10/ I-19

Click here to read more ...

From PRWeb.com

“Bridging the Border” Lecture & Education Series Launch Party

The Border Community Alliance (BCA) and its Mexican partner foundation FESAC will host a launch party for the “Bridging the Border” Lecture and Education series on June 12, 2014 from 5:30-8:30pm in the Courtyard at the Tubac Market, located at 10 Avenida Goya, Plaza de Anza, Tubac, Arizona, 85646.

At 6:30pm, there will be a short presen-

tation by BCA/FESAC representatives on the exciting programs planned for the year ahead, special thank you’s to our founding members, and an introduction of the Bor-der Community Alliance’s new member-ship program.

From 7-7:45pm, Natalia Serna and her

band will perform haunting ballads written and inspired by her experiences in the bor-derlands and working in immigrant shel-ters in Nogales, Sonora.

Please celebrate with us and support

the groundbreaking collaborative work of BCA/FESAC. The suggested donation for this event is $25 per person. RSVP to scas-tro@bordercommunityalliance.com Read more ...

Off the Beaten Path: Southeast ArizonaBy Josephine Matyas & Craig Jones | www.everythingzoomer.com

FOR ASTRONO-MER CRAIG NANCE, an average work-day might include a 90-minute drive to the Large Binocular Tele-scope (LBT) atop the Pinaleno Mountains of southeast Arizona. “The skies above Mt. Graham are among the most clear and dark in North America,” explained the director of the telescope ar-ray on the 3,220-metre mountain. “You can see it from anywhere around here – it looks like a giant sugar cube.”

Twice a week, observatory docents lead tours to the world’s largest, 16-storey optical

telescope. Visitors – from all points on the astronomy geek continuum – can get a quick schooling at Discovery Park, the observatory’s base level educa-

tional centre in Safford. In astronomy it’s all about high, dark and accessible – but even if you can’t make it to the top you can im-merse yourself in Copernicus, Galileo and Einstein without the daylong, ear-popping trek.

Click here to read more and view videos

Regional Calendar of Events

The Turning Point Monthly, June 2014, page 4

Salute to the Buffalo Soldiers Days

June 28-29 -A celebration to salute the Buffalo Soldiers sponsored by the Wild West Detachment Marine Corps League and the Merchants of the City of Tomb-stone. Celebration includes street en-tertainment, a parade, and many other events to be announced starting at 10:00 AM each day and conclude at approxi-mately 4:00 PM.

TOMBSTONE EVENTS

June 10 - Franklin Covey: Disciplines of Execution: A Cochise College SBDC Event. 8:30 am to Noon, Room 702 on the Sierra Vista Campus. Fee is $200 per person Reg-istration deadline is 6/5/14. Register Now! Contact: Rachel Norton at 520-515-5478 or nortonr@cochise.edu.

June 12 - “Bridging the Border” Lecture and Educatio Series Launch Party. 5:30 to 8:30 pm Courtyard at the Tubac Market t, located at 10 Avenida Goya, Plaza de Anza, Tubac, Arizona, 85646. Please celebrate with us and support the groundbreaking collaborative work of BCA/FESAC. The suggested donation for this event is $25 per person. Your RSVP to scastro@bordercom-munityalliance.com is appreciated. Tickets are also available for purchase at the door or by purchasing online at www.border-communityalliance.com.

June 13 - Mesquite-New Agricultural Traditions for an Ancient Food All=Day Workshop. 8:30 am to 4:00 pm Cochise College Benson Center, 1025 Highway 90, Benson. Registrtion $30 To register online, go to http://bajaaz.org/calendar/mesquite-workshop/ Questions, call 520 331-9821. Read more:

June 16 - “The Nuts and Bolts of De-signing a Regional Plan” webinar -Join the NADO Research Foundation on June 16 from 2 – 3:15 p.m. ET for a webinar to hear from three executive directors whose organizations have published their final regional plans as part of the HUD Sustain-able Communities Initiative. Click here to register

GREENLEE COUNTYEVENTS

JUNE 25 - Chamber Mixer, 6:00 pm, Greenlee Co. Historical Society Museum.JULY 20147/12 Jr. Rodeo @ Duncan Fairgrounds, enter 4-4:30. Begins at 5 p.m. 7/19 Greenlee Co. Mud Drag Series AUGUST 2014 8/16 Jr. Rodeo @ Duncan Fairgrounds, enter 4-4:30. Begins at 5 p.m. SEPT 20149/19 Jr. Rodeo @ Duncan Fairgrounds, Finals 9/20 and 9/21 Greenlee Co. Mud Drag Series, Powder Puff, Grudge Match 9/18-9/21/14 Greenlee County Fair NOV 2014 juried Art Show and Wine Festival @ Gal-leria Coronado, 253 Chase Creek Street, Chase Creek, Clifton, Saturday, Novem-ber 1-2, 2014, Noon to 6 p.m.

June 17 - “Strengthening Regional Eco-nomic Resilience through Business Con-tinuity Planning.” Gail Moraton, Business Resiliency Manager at the Insurance Insti-tute for Business and Home Safety (IBHS), will provide an overview of business conti-nuity planning, discuss how RDOs and lo-cal leaders can support it in their regions, and share free tools available from IBHS. 2 - 3:15 p.m. ET. Click here to register

June 18 - Apache Independence Day Cel-ebration. Bob Key Rodeo Arena within the Peridot District of the San Carlos Apache Reservation. For more information contact the San Carlos Apache Tribal Administra-tion Office at 928-475-2361. Read More ...

June 25 - Greenlee County Chamber Mixer, 6:00 pm Greenlee County Historical Society Museum, 299 Chase Creek, Clifton

June 25 -How to Create a Facebook Business Page Class AND Advertising Us-ing Facebook Class. Call Cochise SBDC at (520) 515-5478 to register.

June 27 - Benson’s Transportation Past, Present and Future. 10:00 am The Benson Visitor Center will be putting on a dedica-tion to celebrate the completion of our his-toric railroad logos that were paid for by a grant from Union Pacific Railroad.

June 4th-Immersion Training at Center for Academic Success (CAS) School, 900 Carmelita Dr, Sierra Vista; 11am-1pm or 2pm-4pm. Training will provide a per-spective on what it is like to be a client in the One Stop. Email: ahernandez@cpic-cas.org or (520) 236-2844

June 12th-Techniques for Success in the Workplace from 12pm-1pm at the El-sie S. Hogan Community Library, 100 N. Curtis Ave, Willcox; class is open to currently employed people; please RSVP with the Library

June 18th-Mini Job Fair, Arizona Work-force Connection, 551 N G Ave, Douglas

Should your municipality acquire a .Gov Domain?

There is an effort to encourage munici-palities to change their online presence from the typical .com or .net online domain extension to .gov. While there are some ad-ditional costs involved, the benefits make it worthwhile. Note that registration in the dot-gov domain is available to official gov-ernmental organizations in the US includ-ing Federal, State, and local governments, and Native Sovereign Nations.

Here are several reasons you may want to consider making the move this year:

1. The .GOV URL is reserved for qualifying organizations. Registration in the dot-gov domain is available to official governmental organizations in the United States including Federal, State, and local governments, and Native Sovereign Na-tions.

2. These sites are considered credible and trustworthy. Part of search engine opti-mization rank is based on credibility, mak-ing your site easier to find on the web.

3. Some agencies are reluctant to en-gage with organizations that do not have the .GOV extension because of security con-cerns.

The process consists of four parts:1. Complete the application process

Read more ...

The Turning Point Monthly, June 2014, page 5

Keep updated on the latest policy and research, success stories, best practices, high-lights and event listings from the Economic Development Administration (EDA).

CLICK HERE to subscribe to the Innovate@EDA Monthly Update!

June 10 - 4 - Franklin Covey: Disciplines of Execution: A Cochise College SBDC Event. 8:30 am to Noon, Room 702 on the Sierra Vista Campus.You will significantly increase your ability to execute your teams’ most wildly important goals. The facilita-tor, Mark Schmitt-Director of the Cochise College Small Business Development Cen-ter, will visit your business for a follow-up meeting with your employees to roll-out this program. Fee to attend this workshop is $200 per person and is intended for ei-ther the owner and/or the manager of the

business. Fee includes all class materials and continental breakfast.

Seating is extremely limited and you

MUST register to attend. Registration deadline is 6/5/14. Please click on the link below to RSVP.

Register Now! If you have any questions,

concerns, or would like to register over the phone, please contact Rachel Norton at 520-515-5478 or nortonr@cochise.edu.

MAP-21 Reauthorization Act SummaryOn Monday, May 12, 2014, the U.S. Sen-

ate Environment and Public Works Com-mittee (EPW) released the MAP-21 Re-authorization Act (S. 2322), a multi-year reauthorization of federal surface transpor-tation programs. Current law, the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21), expires on September 30, 2014. EPW will markup the bill tomorrow, Thursday, May 15 at 9:30am.

The bill includes: $265 billion for federal surface transportation programs for fiscal years 2015 through 2020.

Funding for a national freight program for states. Metropolitan planning organiza-tions (MPOs) are included in varying ca-pacities for designating and creating com-ponents of the freight network and national

strategic plan.

Redesigned and new competitive grant programs, such as Projects of National and Regional Significance and American Transportation Awards, the latter of which MPOs are eligible to receive.

Click HERE to read NARC’s summary of MPO-relevant sections of the bill; a de-tailed analysis is forthcoming. Click HERE to read NARC’s press release concern-ing the bill. Click HERE to read NARC’s summary of the Administration’s GROW AMERICA Act.

Contact: Erich Zimmermann, Trans-portation Director, erich@NARC.org or 202.986.1032, x212

DOL Announces $100 Million Apprenticeship Initiative

The Department of Labor is making $100 million in existing H-1B funds available for American Apprenticeship Grants to reward partnerships that help more workers par-ticipate in apprenticeships. More →

Courtesy: EfficientGov

Nogales takes bigger slice of produce imports

Oranges led the way as the Nogales port of entry grew its share of Mexican produce imports this season, beating out competi-tors in South Texas and California.

Local produce distributors imported 51 million pounds of the citrus fruit from Sep-tember 2013 to April 2014, a rise of nearly 300 percent over the previous produce season, according to numbers released on Mondayby the Nogales-based Fresh Pro-duce Association of the Americas, or FPAA. Seedless watermelon (78 percent) and can-taloupe (52 percent) were also big gainers.

With thousands of trucks crossing the international border through Nogales each week, local produce distributors handled 4.2 billion pounds of produce this season, up 17 percent from the 3.6 billion pounds distributed in the previous season.

By comparison, produce imports through Pharr and Progesso, Texas, stayed flat at 3.2 billion pounds, according to the press re-lease. The next closest rival was Otay Mesa, Calif., which imported 1.1 billion pounds of produce.

The FPAA attributed the increase in No-gales’ share of Mexican produce imports partly to the infrastructure improvements at the Mariposa Port of Entry that have de-creased wait times for trucks hauling pro-

From a story in the Nogales International |

Read More ...

The Turning Point Monthly, June 2014, page 6

House Appropriations Committee Approves FY2015 Agri-culture Bill; Funds Rural Development at $2.6 Billion

This week, the House Appropriations Committee approved their version of the Fiscal Year (FY) 2015 Agriculture Appropriations bill. The bill funds U.S. Department of Agri-culture (USDA) programs at $20.9 billion for FY2015.

Click here to view the full text of the legislation. Click here for the committee report.

Senate Appropriations Committee Approves FY2015 Agri-culture Bill; Funds Rural Development at $2.4 Billion

Last week, the Senate Appropriations Committee approved its version of the fiscal year (FY) 2015 Agriculture Appropriations bill. The bill funds U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) programs at $20.5 billion for FY2015. Click here to view the full text of the legisla-tion. Click here for the committee report.

NADO Sends Support Letter on Workforce Investment Act Reauthorization to Congress

Last month, NADO sent a letter to Congress supporting the bipartisan deal to reau-thorize the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (P.L. 105-220), which expired in 2003. The new bill, entitled the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), reauthorizes federal workforce and training programs and sets recommended appropriations through fiscal year (FY) 2020. The bill must now be considered by both the full Senate and House. Click here to view a copy of NADO’s support letter. NADO legislative staff will continue to monitor the legislation and a member webinar briefing on the legislation is currently being planned.

NADO Research Foundation to Lead Webinar on Design-ing and Publishing Regional Plans

Join the NADO Research Foundation on June 16 from 2 – 3:15 p.m. ET for a webinar to hear from three executive directors whose organizations have published their final re-gional plans as part of the HUD Sustainable Communities Initiative. Learn what strategies and techniques they embraced to create a readable, engaging document that will continue to shape the conversation about community and economic development and quality-of-life in their regions for years to come. Click here to register

NADO Research Foundation Webinar: Strengthening Re-gional Economic Resilience through Business Continuity Planning

Join the NADO Research Foundation on June 17 from 2 – 3:15 p.m. ET for a free we-binar, “Strengthening Regional Economic Resilience through Business Continuity Plan-ning.” Gail Moraton, Business Resiliency Manager at the Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety (IBHS), will provide an overview of business continuity planning, dis-cuss how RDOs and local leaders can support it in their regions, and share free tools avail-able from IBHS. Timothy Malone of the Central Connecticut Regional Planning Agency will describe his work to coordinate a wide array of public and private partners and raise awareness of emergency preparedness and business continuity approaches for small and medium-sized businesses in central Connecticut. Click here to register.

To read more on these NADO articles, click here

AzGATES Funding Alert: Social & EconomicRenewable Energy for America ProgramSponsor: Department of AgricultureDeadline: 7/7/14 Amount: $2,500-$500,000Type: Environment, Agriculture, Social & EconomicGrants are provided to agricultural produc-ers and rural small businesses to purchase and install renewable energy systems or make energy efficiency improvements. The program is designed to help agricultural producers and rural small businesses re-duce energy costs and consumption and help meet the Nation’s critical energy needs.Click here to learn more

Tribal Community Wellness Centers: Serv-ing Crime Victims’ NeedsSponsor: Department of JusticeDeadline: 7/15/14 Amount: Up to $660,000Type: Health, Social & EconomicOVC will make up to three awards to tribes or tribal nonprofit organizations to develop and implement a victim-centered Com-munity Wellness framework that extends beyond crisis victim assistance to meet the longer-term, complex needs of victims, survivors, and their families. The frame-work must include a Community Wellness Center that will offer, coordinate, or foster access to a continuum of resources and services that promote victim and commu-nity wellness, including a full range of in-tervention, treatment, health and wellness, prevention, educational and economic de-velopment, and cultural resources for the community. Click here to learn more

National Child Welfare Capacity Building Center for TribesSponsor: Department of Health and Hu-man ServicesDeadline: 7/22/14 Amount: $2-$2.5 millionHealth, Social & Economic, Public SafetyThis fund aims to improve child welfare systems and to support Tribes and States in achieving sustainable, systemic change that results in greater safety, permanency, and well-being for children, youth, and families. CBCT will serve as the focal point for coor-dinated and culturally competent training and technical assistance to title IV-B and title IV-E programs in American Indian and Alaska Native Nations.Click here to learn more

The Turning Point Monthly, June 2014, page 7

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

The Benson Visitor Center will be put-ting on a dedication to celebrate the com-pletion of our historic railroad logos that were paid for by a grant from Union Pacific Railroad. The event will be on Friday June 27th at 10:00am.

We plan to call the event “Benson’s Trans-

portation Past, Present and Future”. Currently Cheri Shull is trying (through

SEAGO) to connect our local BAT Transit with the other transit organizations in Co-chise County which would be beneficial for tourism as well as local residents. The Benson Visitor Center will be selling Grey-hound bus tickets (contingent on Council approval of the contract on June 9th.)

Benson is currently an official AM-

TRAK stop. We recognize that SEAGO is Transportation Coordinator and primary planner for this region, and as such we are planning on a SEAGO presentation that ex-plains how Benson could be the Transpor-tation Hub for Cochise County. This will also benefit the whole County.

Zoe Richmond from Union Pacific will

be inviting Tucson and Cochise County U.P. people and I have contacted Michael Dwyer from AMTRAK and he will have some AMTRAK people there. I am also inviting our State and County elected of-ficials as well as our Congressman. Let me know if you can think of anyone you think I should send an invitation to. I want this event to show Benson as a positive force at this event. Thanks for any help or sugges-tions you may have.

The Sierra Vista Area Chamber is preparing to launch its 16th An-nual Leadership Sierra Vista program.

Once a month the

class members spend a day visiting a variety of local agencies and learning about subjects important to the overall well being of Sierra Vista and Co-chise County. The experience includes a special leadership orientation and then an in-depth look at such diverse topics as Fort Huachuca, local government, health care, education, law enforcement, tourism and border issues.

Join us as we strive to develop the future

leaders of our community while providing additional skills and knowledge for indi-viduals with the potential for advancement within their own organizations. Class size is limited and the application deadline is August 8, 2014.

Click Here for Application!Sponsoring Leadership

I would like to give you a background of why we organized Pride Society. The town council decided to demolish the old Frei-heit building on the corner where Spezia Square now stands. This was done within a couple of days without an abatement study for asbestos. The study cost the town a huge fine to get it cleaned up. There was talk of other old buildings to be torn down. Within a week about nineteen individuals met at my home to see what we could do to stop destroying what few buildings that were left.

Pride Society was formed in 2001. Our group wanted us to be official, so the pro-cess began to obtain a 501 c 3 status and the paper work began. We were approved and then we started the process of becom-

ing a tax-exempt status and it was not fun dealing with the IRS. Finally I had to drop a few names such as McCain, Kyle, O’Connor

and we were approved within a week. During this time the cleanup of Duncan be-gan. One local contractor devoted his time and equipment to start hauling off the de-bris and that was Gerald White. Many other People joined in this effort and the results were amazing.

Our first project was a tree line along the railroad which has made such a difference with it’s beauty. What can I say about Spezia Square except it is beautiful, town people love it and tourists always stop and get a photo of the beautiful corner. The beautiful flowerbeds, gazebo board walk and old Op-era House facades add the final touch. Spe-cial Thanks to the brick cleaners and brick layers such as you. We are so fortunate to have Ron and Debbie Hileman to take care of the flower beds.

So as you can see we stay very busy with Pride Society and will continue to help our community anyway that is needed.

In an effort to increase the membership of the Greater Huachuca Branch, NAACP we are issuing the following challenge to all who wish to participate: The person who recruits the most NEW members will win a FREE trip to Laughlin, Nevada!

RULES and Conditions:1. Memberships must be enrolled by 5:00 PM July

9th, 2014. 2. You must enroll at least two (2) new members to be eligible. 3. If you are not currently a member, you can include yourself in your total. 4. The winning trip includes transportation and lodg-ing only. 5. The trip will take place on October 10th through the 13th, 2014 (Columbus Day weekend) 6. The winner will be announced at the NAACP meeting on July 12th.

Submit completed applications to: Ms. Berthe Simpson at: churchlady2@cox.net or call: (520) 459-4181 OR Tony Isom at: isom3@cox.net (520) 803-9437.

Click here for flyer. Click here for application.

NAACP Drive Will Win Trip to Laughlin

The Turning Point Monthly, June 2014, page 8

Success Notes - 3 Important Steps to Use Your Giveawaysby Klaudia Kovacs | MySuccessConsultant.com

P r o m o t i o n a l items and give-aways are one of the most powerful ways to introduce your business to your prospec-tive clients and start building a relationship with them. These mar-

keting items have to be irresistible enough for people to want to come back for more.

While this may be an unusual compari-son, think of your freebees the same way, you would think of invitations or gifts dur-ing dating. When potential clients accept your giveaways, they are basically signal-ing that they might be interested in your services. While they are not ready to seal the deal yet, they give you a chance to in-

troduce yourself and show them what you have to offer.

This is the time to be generous; after all who wants to go on a next date with some-one stingy? If your valuable promotional items are attractive enough and meet the needs of your audience, they are likely to come back for your business.

Click here to read more ...

Arizona’s 8-Man High School Football All-Stars Game Set for Duncan High School June 7th

Forty-two of Arizona’s top 8-man high school football players will converge on Duncan June 5-7 for the annual Class 1-A State Football All-Stars Game, accompa-nied by their coaches and families. It is the first time that Duncan High School has hosted this prestigious event, and the town plans to roll out a welcome.

The players, representing 16 high schools

across the state, will be assigned to two opposing teams. Practices will be held on Thursday and Friday before the game, which is scheduled at 6:00 pm on Saturday, June 7th, on the Duncan High School Field. The public is invited to observe the prac-tices as well as to attend the game.

Duncan Schools Superintendent Eldon Merrell noted, “There will also be a 5-on-5 passing tournament that will take place on Saturday morning and early afternoon. This tournament will consist of underclassmen from schools across the state preparing for the upcoming football season. Any school interested in attending can call the high school for more information.”

Duncan councilman Doug Barlow is

spreading the word around town. “We can assume that most of these players and coaches and families will never have been to Greenlee County before, so we’re really looking forward to hosting them,” he said . “It’s a very big honor for Duncan.”

By Deborah Mendelsohn | simpsonhotel.com Barlow continued: “We need more vol-unteers to cook and to run the conces-sion stands. Anyone who wants to pitch in should call Dustie Robinette 909-208-4623.”

Superintendent Merrell convinced his

fellow coaches three years ago to hold this year’s All-Stars Game in what is viewed as a remote corner of the state. He argued that Duncan High School was serious enough about its sports program to merit such recognition, and added that 2014 was the year his own twins, both football players, are graduating. Merrell’s amusing pitch to the coaches apparently worked. Players and their coaches and families will be travel-ing up to 12 hours to spend a weekend in Greenlee County.

SBA Launches Accelerator Competition to Award $2.5 Million for Small Business Startups

WASHINGTON –Today, Maria Contre-ras-Sweet, Administrator of the U.S. Small

Business Administration (SBA) announced that the SBA is launching a $2.5 million competition for accelerators and other en-trepreneurial ecosystem models to compete for monetary prizes of $50,000 each. To award the prizes, an expert panel of judges will consider each applicant’s stated mis-sion, founding team members and business goals among other core components. The

deadline for applying is August 2, 2014.

The panel will give particular attention to, and the SBA encourages, applicants that fill geographic gaps in the accelerator and entrepreneurial ecosystem space. It is well known that the most successful accel-erators to date were founded on the coasts. Read more ...

An interview with Laura M. Villa new SEAGO OmbudsmanAs a lifelong resident of Santa Cruz

County and a graduate of Nogales High School (Apaches) life has always revolved around ‘home’.

Villa comes from a very responsible and hard working family who make great ef-forts in achieving goals and never looking back at ‘what could have been’. Villa is mar-

ried and the proud mother of a ‘beautiful 9 year old son’.

After working for a Home Health agency as a Customer Service representative for 8 years, responsible for the renting and sell-ing of medical equipment. Villa realized that she was on the right career path.

Read more ...

Seeking a greater challenged Villa moved on to be a Case Manager As-sistant with Santa Cruz County un-der a grant through